That Calm Time of Day

I’ve found through my life that the most calm times of the day are right as the sun’s rays are breaking above the horizon and just as the hues of the light are changing from yellow to orange to red to dark. In other words, dawn and dusk.

In this case, for me, it was dusk and ducks.

I’ve taken, during my time here at home visiting my family, to photographing the sunsets each night. Some nights I glance outside and say “Oh shoot!” and rush outside with my camera to grab the sun’s last rays. Other nights, I am prepared, and take the time to calm myself down from the day and just reflect on everything that has happened both that day and in life.

The night I took this photo, just five days ago, was one where I was rushed, until I saw these ducks. The night was calm as was shown through the stillness of the lake. The ducks were just gliding across the water seamlessly, their silhouettes reflected beneath them. This reminded me to reflect on my own day. As it was not the best day in recent history, I looked for guidance as to where to go from here. As my thoughts crossed this idea, the ducks suddenly formed a line pointing straight at the sunset, into the light. Coincidentally, this was also towards the raft on our lake, where as a teen I spent many a day laying there reading a good book and just enjoying the sense of being surrounded by water and by nature, almost isolated in my own little bubble until my parents’ voices rang across the lake, calling me in for dinner. Suddenly, I was reminded of what I love about being home and for what I should be thankful.

For the light, for the sun. For times spent reading and lounging. For nature. For my family and my friends and those who provide my life with the light and warmth that keep me happy. And for those calm times of day, both dawn and dusk, that allow me the rare opportunity to step back from emotions and drama and stress to just breathe and live.

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If you want dawn and dusk, and sunrise and sunset, times, feel free to check out Gaisma.

Also, animals that come out at this time of day are known as crepuscular (who knew?!) I’ve seen rabbits out at dawn before but wasn’t aware that ducks were also crepuscular! Just kidding, they’re not. They just happened to be out at dusk this lovely Sunday night.